Still, I have a clue to their whereabouts." Francis then related the events of the evening.
"But why did you not run into the boat and give the alarm at once, Francisco?
Any gondolas passing would have given their assistance, when you declared who she was, for the affair is the talk of the city.

If that woman were in our power we should soon find means to make her speak." "Yes, signor; but the moment she was known to be in your power, you may be sure that they would remove your daughters from the place where they have been hiding them.

I thought, therefore, the best plan would be to track them.

No doubt we should have succeeded in doing so, had it not been for the attack upon us by another gondola." "You are right, no doubt, Francisco.

Still, it is unfortunate, for I do not see that we are now any nearer than we were before, except that we know that this woman is in the habit of coming into the city." "I think we are nearer, sir, for I had an adventure some time ago that may afford a clue to their hiding place." He then told the merchant how he had, one evening, taken a man out to San Nicolo, and had discovered that a hut in that island was used as a meeting place by various persons, among whom was Ruggiero Mocenigo.
"I might have thought of the place before, signor; but, in fact, it never entered my mind.